F1 Legend Alain Prost Backs Formula E Team

Four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost has joined forces with Jean-Paul Driot, founder of leading GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 team Dams (Driot Associés Motor Sport), to form a new team that will compete in the inaugural season of Formula E next year. The new team, to be called e.dams, is the fifth to join the new electric car racing series.

Other teams include America’s Andretti Autosport and Dragon Racing, the U.K.’s Drayson Racing, and Chinese team China Racing. Organizers of Formula E are hoping to have ten teams signed up, with two drivers each, when the first race commences in September 2014.

He may have his detractors but there’s no denying Prost is one of the most accomplished race car drivers of all time and remains a motorsports figurehead even after all these years. Most recently, he signed on to become on official brand ambassador for Renault, which is helping to develop the Spark-Renault SRT_01E electric race car that will be common to all Formula E teams.

"Being able to actively participate in the development of this new technology, which is 100 percent electric is extremely motivating,” Prost said in a statement. “As we've seen in other championships, 2014 will see a move towards more sustainable racing, proving more than ever that motorsport is the benchmark for the future.”

Ten races will be held in the inaugural season of Formula E, with Los Angeles and Miami among the destinations. Each of the races will take place in a single day, including qualifying and the actual race, and each driver will have two cars each (the driving range of each of the cars will only cover half of the hour long races so two are required).